The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-01-28
FEATs OF THE COWBOYS.
Interesting Sights at the Albuquerque
Fair-Throwing the Lasso.


The most interesting feature of the
Albuquerque fair is not its display Of
products, but the heterogeneous crowd
Of people who view them, says CORE
spondent of the Philadelphia Times.
Here is the Spanish with his
broad sombrero; the ferce-looking cow
boy, with his belt full of pistols and
bowie-knives, and the Kansas City
dude, with his shining black-silk hat
The Navajo Indians, clad from head to
foot in undressed skins, jostle their
more uncivilized brethren, the Mojaves,
naked. save for a cloth around the loins.
Here is the Mojave mother, bare to the
waist and clasping to her dusky breast
nance from natures fount as its parent
pushes her way through the crowd.
Girls as pretty as any to be seen in
Philadelphia, and dressed quite as
stylishly as any who promenade Chest
nut street, go laughing and talking
with their beaux through the broad
aisles of the main exhibition hall But
the observed of all observers in this
great crowd is Billy Moparez, one of the
most famous cowboys In this region.
Nearly six feet in height straight as an
arrow, with strength, agility, and sup
pleness expressed in the curve Of every
limb, he is the beau ideal of DASH
ing, handsome, fearless frontiersman.
Billy added considerably to his repu-
tation recently by an exploit at Gallup,
this side of the Arizona line. As he was
about to mount his pony in that place
one day recently, a Navajo Indian
claimed it as his, and accused Billy of
having stolen it. The cowboy resented
the Indians claim and warned him to
be careful But the Navajo needed him
not, and, selling the pony's bride, he
tried to wrest 1t from Billy's grasp.
Quick as flash the cowboy drew his
big navy revolver, fired, and instantly
there was one Indian less in New Mexi-
CO. The friends of the dead man soon
gathered at Gallup in force and loudly
demanded vengeance for the murder of
their comrade. The ranchero who was
Billy's employer endeavored to effect
compromise. He offered to give the
relatives and intimates of the dead
Indian $50 worth of goods from the
Gallup store if they would let the mat
ter drop. They gladly accepted this
proposal, and as the store-keeper, by
preconccrted arrangement with the
ranchero, charged the Indians quad
ripple price for everything they took,
Billy's patron was not more than $40
out of pocket.
There was some very good horse
racing at the fair on very excellent
half-mile track. The principal event
was q trotting match for horses that
had never beaten three minutes, and
was well contested by number of very
creditable local specimens of horsefesh.
But the greatest feature of the whole
fair-that which is the principal mag
net in drawing hither all these people
from three states-took place in the
afternoon. 1t was a grand cowboy
tournament, which was contested on the
race-track for several valuable prizes by
all the most noted cowboys of this
region.
At o'clock drove of wild Texas
steers were turned loose in the inclo-
sure, and large number OF cowboys
began the task Of lassoing them, the
boy who lassoed the greatest number
to be declared the winner. It was a
glorious sight-those stalwart young
men mounted upon broncho horses Of
the highest mettle and speed, their
brown cheeks glowing with health and
their dark eyes flashing with excite
ment The fence around the inside of
the race-track had been removed, and
on the large oval of green turf in front
of the grand stand the steers go plung-
ing and tossing and the boys 90 riding
after them like SO many incarnate
whirlwinds. Every now and then an
infuriated steer would make straight
for broncho, bent on goripg the life
out OF him and his rider, but the alert
cowboy. with his high-spirited steed
under The most perfect control, by q
single turn o. his bride hand would
wheel him deity, aside and the fierce
bovine would catch nothing on his
horns save the circnmambient air.
The skill displayed in riding and
managing the bronchos and fhEowing
the lasso was simply marvellous. CAST
ing the running moose over the head of
the steer while riding at full speed was
the most insignificant part Of the per-
Torrance. With the most perfect ease
the cowboys would place it around any
one OF the animals legs. This is .
most difficult feat, and the skill requisite
to its accomplishment can only be &C
CURED by long and patient practice.
Even then he who seeks to become pro-
ficient in it must have an Unborn apti-
tude and dexterity of eye and hand. To
perform it the cowboy must determine
the spot upon which the swiftly-running
animal will next set the foot of the leg
around which he desires to draw the
moose. Upon this spot he must throw
the assoc, and-the moment the steer
has placed its foot within its slip-knot
he must, by a peculiar, indescribable
motion of his hand and arm, draw it up
above the creatures knee and quickly
pull it taut This feat was accom-
plished many times during the progress
of the tournament; indeed, the number
of failures was very Insignificant in pro
portion to the number of TRIALS.
Jobs In the Legislature.